Judge in Maryland weighs release of 2 detained immigrants

Immigrants’ rights vocates on Thursday urged a federal judge to order release of two people from Maryland immigration detention facilities, saying ir medical conditions carry a high risk of death or serious illness from a coronavirus infection.

U.S. District Judge odore Chuang didn’t immediately rule after hearing arguments from attorneys for federal government and two men who sued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Chuang said he would issue a written decision “as soon as possible.”

Judges in or states have agreed to free people from ICE detention during

two plaintiffs in Maryland case have been held in civil detention at Worcester County Detention Center and Howard County Detention Center while awaiting resolution of ir immigration cases.

Practicing “social distancing” and better hygiene is impossible in crowded detention centers, plaintiffs’ lawyers claim. “Even with measures ICE has purported to take to prevent spre of COVID-19 in its facilities, immigration detention centers are a hotbed for spre of virus,” March 24 lawsuit says,

Neir Maryland detention center has a single confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case, Justice Department attorney Vincent Vaccarella said Thursday. A “purely speculative risk” of contracting COVID-19 doesn’t entitle plaintiffs to immediate release, Vaccarella said in a court filing this week.

Federal authorities say y are taking precautions to protect inmates and staff. judge asked Vaccarella if facilities could or will do more to help prevent medically vulnerable detainees from an infection. Vaccarella said he didn’t kw.

“We’re t supposed to wait until someone gets sick,” judge said during a hearing held by video conference.

Maryland plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from National Immigration Project of National Lawyers Guild, Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Maryland.

One of plaintiffs, a 52-year-old citizen of El Salvor, has diabetes. or, a 54-year-old citizen of Guatemala, has hypertension and prostate problems.

y were among more than 35,000 people who were in

Similar lawsuits have been filed in or states, including California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington state, according to ACLU.

Earlier this week, federal judges in California and Pennsylvania ordered ICE to release several detainees who sued.

“Our Constitution and laws apply equally to most vulnerable among us, particularly when matters of public health are at issue. This is true even for those who have lost a measure of ir freedom,” U.S. District Judge John Jones III wrote in Pennsylvania case.

For most people, new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older ults and those with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and be life-threatening.